For Better or For Worse

CHAPTER 10 - Dunes of Emotion

The bells, attached to the wind chimes used to decorate the deck for the wedding, tinkled in the soft breeze of the night, while both Nandini and her blue eyed VVIP guest lay sprawled on the floor completely spent after an intense round of fencing.

‘Wow you are good at this. Where did you learn to fence Mr. Grant?’ Nandini asked.

‘While attending university. How about you? And please call me Henry’

‘I picked it up from Adi’s father. He taught me while I was a kid, but nothing too formal. I picked it up later while in the university myself.’

‘Adi! Aditya Chauhan, quite an impressive fellow I must say. You know I always longed to join the army myself, but never quite got around it. Aditya, he is quite a looker with an impressive character. Is that why you are marrying him?’

Although she cannot deny her best friend’s so called impressive character, she cannot however confess that it was not enough to impress her to make her marry him either. Instead of manipulating the truth she thought the best way to response was to be diplomatic. So in agreement she nodded her head – after all Adi was quite a looker too.

‘Then why do I have the feeling that you don’t love him any more than a friend should love another.’

Nandini’s breath was caught midway before a brief silence engulfed them. She sat up, thinking perhaps sitting up would give her more courage to handle such a question. With her overbearing posture she might just be able to stop this man from asking such ludicrously personal questions and passing his judgements. Ever since she was a little child she has been applauded at her ways of answering unentertaining questions by a question. Over the years she has practiced this act to perfection.

‘And what made you think so?’ she finally asked.

‘Do you want an honest observation?’ asked Henry.

Nandini smirked ever so faintly, but it was enough for Henry to catch it. ‘Do you want an honest reply?’ Nandini played her well-practiced tact once more.

Henry by now was quite convinced that she would not answer him unless he gave her the entire truth. However what bothered him more was his eagerness to know the truth about her. Coming from an English background, he was well aware of privacy and self-space, what he failed to figure out was why was he now pushing the edge to know the truth about her relationship with her future husband, which is definitely a private matter. He even failed to console himself by justifying the reason behind his curiosity as a mere act of a Good Samaritan. He knew well enough that the young lady sitting right across him was neither a dominated kind nor did she come from a family which would simply impose their decisions on her like many other families that the country has a reputation for. Failing to justify his curiosity to himself he decided that he would go ahead and rather quench his curiosity rather than argue with himself, for the latter was far more tempting than the former.

‘For example the day you arrived, I was more than convinced by your behaviour and that of your friends that you – all of you were nothing more than just mere friends. Good friends, friends who would give up their lives for one another, but that’s that, just friends. I also observed how Adi would rather like to sit beside his other female friend from his unit than beside his would be bride. From whatever little I could gather, you came back home after a long time, and I presume Adi could not meet you for as long as you were out of the country because of his own profession. In such a circumstance it is just normal for the prospective groom to steal every moment possible to be beside his prospective bride. I personally would have prefferd to do so myself rather than sticking with a friend who I see everyday.’

All Nandini could do was secretly admire his observations. Much as she would want to reward her guest’s brilliant observations, she possibly could not betray the trust of her friends. She decided to remain quiet after all and the best way to do it was to escape this conversation as soon as possible. She suddenly jumped up on her feet ready to go, but Henry was equally quick with his reflexes. He caught her wrist and gave a firm pull twirling her around to face him. Quite not so technically, he was far taller than Nandini had imagined, but his blue eyes bore into hers as he loomed over her. Then almost apologetically he added ‘Look, I know it isn’t proper to pry. It is your private life after all, but I cannot help myself. There is this nagging feeling which is really disturbing me, specially now that I know you and how talented you are I completely respect you. The fact that you would be working with me on the project makes it inevitable that there will be a certain amount of confidence that will develop between us. From that respect I think it’s only fair that we get to know each other a little bit more than this.’

‘Mr. Grant, your little bit more is quite far I am afraid. However, your blatant honesty deserves an explanation, but it will have to wait until morning. After all it’s not just my secret, it’s Adi’s too and I need his permission before divuldging any information. I am afraid tonight you just have to wait for the sun to come up. Good night Mr. Grant, I hope you understand.’ With that she hurried past him with wings attached to her feet.